Louis baithoefer



MPETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGHAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

@niet LOUIS BAUHOEFER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 63,831, dated April 16, 1867; antcdateel April 9, 1867.

` IMPROVED MATTRESS AND LIFE-PRESERVING' FLOAT.

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Bc it known that I, LOUIS BAUHOELER, of Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, have invented certain improvements in Mattresses, Cushions, lite.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference'being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a frame for the receptionof a cushion or cushions, and an airbag, the whole being constructed and arranged as fully describedzhereafter, so as to form an elastic mattress which may be readily separated into several distinct cushions, the latter. whenilled with buoyant. material, forming lifepreserving floats in case of accident at sea.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make the said invention, I will now proceed to describe the construction of the same. On reference to theY accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification- Figure l is a transverse section of a mattress or cushion made according to my improvement.

Figure 2, a plan view; and

Figure 3, a plan view with the cover removed and the upper mattress turned up to expose the interior.

A is a light,toblong frame of wood, lwithin the lower portion of which is secured a cork mattress, B, the latter being thicker at the edges than in the centre, as shown in iig. 1. On the mattress rests an air-bag, C, which is divided Vliongitudinally into two compartments, and is enclosed in a bag or cover, a, of any-suitable non-elastic fabric, the said lcover being of such a size that the cushion cannot be distendedto its greatest extent, the object of this being described hereafter. The bag C is partly lled with Cork or other suitable buoyant material, and with one end/ofthe said bag C communicates a pipe, b, which extends through an opening,f`i1 in. the end of'the frame A. On thebag-G, and within-1"thefram'efrestsra cork mattress, D, over which extends a sheet, c, of oil-cloth or other suitable water-proof material, the edges of the said sheet extending into grooves in the edge of the frame, where they are fastened by strips, e, whichit into and are firmly secured in said grooves. Beneath the cushion B extends a similar sheet of oil-cloth, e', which is secured to the frame in any suitable manner. At the edges of the mattress D are exible strips, z', which are secured to the frame in the same manner as the edges of thesheet e. When the several parts of the cushion or mattress have been adjusted to their proper positions the air-bag C may be readily inflated through the tube b without removing the cover c, so as to impart any desired degree of flexibility to the cushion, the bag or cover a preventing the air-bag from being' distcnded to an extent which might cause its rupture. Should it become necessary to remove the mattress D and the air-bag, the strips e e are detached so as to liberate two or more edges of the cover c, and the strips at the edge of the mattress D; the bag or mattress can then be withdrawn. In .case of accident at sea, where a oat or life-preserver is required, the above-described mattress may be separated into three oats, the lower mattress D forming one, the frame A, with its mattress B, another, and the bag C another. Should the bag become worn or perforated so as to allow the air to escape, the cork in the samewill still render it buoyant, the mass of cork also preventing the bag, when between the mattresses, from being compressed to too great an extent.` The frame A eifectually protects the edges `of the air-bag and mattresses, and prevents them from being worn, and also maintains them in-their proper shape. The frame may be of any suitableshape, and may be used in connection with the cushions without the air-bag. The lower mattress or cushion, B, may also be' dispensed with in some instances, the air-bag restin'g on slats or other suitable supports at the bottom "of the frame, As the edges of the mattress D are secured to the frame, the mattress cannot sink to any considerable extcntat the edges, or even in the centre, as would be the case were a mattress placed loosely in the frame.

Without confining myself to any particular form of fra-me or cushions, I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by`Letters Patent- 1. .An air-bag C, and a mattress or cushion D, arranged within a frame, substantially as and for thepurpose described. s o

i 2. The frame A, with its buoyant cushion B, and detachable buoyant cushion D, and detachable air-bag C,

the whole being arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The frame A, with its detachable cushion D, in combination with the detachable cover c, andthe strips c c, or their equivalents, for the purpose specified. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS BAUHOFER..

Witnesses:

HENRY HAND, ALFRED FrsLnR. 

